While most of the other prophets can be dated with some degree of accuracy, it is notoriously difficult to date the book of Joel. Suggestions have been offered ranging from the ninth century to the second century B.C. Among conservative scholars, three main views are suggested. Some suggest an early...

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For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he...

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by R.C. Sproul (Continued from Secularism: Ignoring the Eternal pt. 3) We Are Called to Be Secular People Such a standpoint cannot be found in the New Testament. The Christ of Scripture was profoundly concerned with this world. This world was the site and purpose of the Incarnation. The God...

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by R.C. Sproul (Continued from Secularism: Ignoring the Eternal pt. 2) Secularism Versus Christianity This is precisely where Christianity and secularism collide. This is the point of conflict. The biblical world view has a long-term view of human life. The term is much longer than that of secularism. For secularism,...

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Dr. Sproul was recently approached by Dr. Michael Youssef about participating on a satellite network broadcasting into the Arabic speaking world. Al Malakoot Sat (Kingdom Sat) will officially launch on March 2, 2009.Ligonier along with several other ministries are sending video material to be translated and sub-titled into Arabic and...

Continue Reading From the Dust of the Middle East to the Glory of Heaven...

by R.C. Sproul (Continued from Secularism: Ignoring the Eternal pt. 1) A Secular Priesthood Historically, the word secular is a positive word in the Christian's vocabulary. The church has always had a good view of that which was regarded as secular. In the Middle Ages, for example, men were ordained...

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Today on Renewing Your Mind, R.C. Sproul, R. Fowler White, Keith Mathison, and Chris Larson introduce the Ligonier Academy of Theological and Biblical Studies. They discuss why the Academy came about, the need for theological education, details on the D.Min. program, how you can be a future student and participant...

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by R.C. Sproul Students of history realize that no society can survive, no civilization can function, without some unifying system of thought. All societies are made up of different people, different jobs, different values, and different classes. In a broad sense, all societies are melting pots. How do the parts...

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John MacArthur:Preachers are men--that's all. And men are not perfect, so there is no hope of perfection in the ministry. If God could not use poor instruments and feeble voices, He couldn't make music. Abraham was guilty of duplicity, yet he became the man of faith and the friend of...

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The epistle to the Philippians is the last of the four "prison epistles" of Paul. This letter was not written for one single purpose. Paul had a number of reasons for writing.  He wanted to update the church about his situation. He wanted to thank them for a gift they...

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On October 31, 1517, Dr. Martin Luther posted his ninety-five theses on the academy bulletin board (which happened to be the church door in those days). Essentially, the theses rebuked church leaders for abusing indulgences. Indulgences, he argued, cannot forgive sins. Rather, they are in danger of bringing a false...

Continue Reading Repentance from First to Last...

Anyone who steps into a Christian bookstore or opens a Christian book catalog is immediately struck by the large number of Study Bibles available. There are specialty Study Bibles, such as The Literary Study Bible, the Apologetics Study Bible, and the Archaeological Study Bible. There are Study Bibles geared to...

Continue Reading So What Makes the Reformation Study Bible Different?...

It was 36 years ago tomorrow, January 22, that the Supreme Court came to a verdict in the case of Roe v. Wade, the case that legalized abortion. This case is still as controversial today as it was in 1973 and continues to be in the forefront of our day....

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We are excited to announce that simultaneous Spanish translation will be available during our 2009 National Conference. It is our desire to serve the Spanish-speaking population by offering this opportunity to examine Scripture's teaching on God's holiness and how it affects our worship, doctrine, and personal walk with Christ.Please help...

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by R.C. Sproul(Continued from The Importance of Cultural Awareness pt. 2)If it is difficult for us to understand our own culture, imagine the horrors an alien would experience in trying to sort it out. Imagine a real life extraterrestial visiting our nation and trying to understand our behavior at the...

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Ligonier Ministries' expanded 22nd national conference is just two months away. We are excited for this opportunity to hear such a respected group of pastors and scholars teach about John Calvin and help us come to a fuller understanding of God's holiness and how it affects everything we do.We've collected...

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By R.C. Sproul(Continued from The Importance of Cultural Awareness pt. 1)We Are All MissionariesIn all of life's situations we are to be His witnesses. Our job is to make the invisible reign of Jesus visible. The world is shrouded in darkness. Nothing is visible in the dark. No wonder then...

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James Montgomery Boice: [New] life begins to grow within, and just as in the case of pregnancy there is a period when a woman is not even aware that she is pregnant, so there can be the same thing spiritually. The life is there, but the person does not yet...

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Hosea's prophetic ministry to the northern kingdom of Israel likely began soon after the ministry of the prophet Amos (ca. 752-750). Unlike Amos, Hosea prophesied up to the point in time just prior to the destruction of Israel (ca. 725-722). His ministry, then, spanned a period of approximately three decades....

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By R.C. SproulEvery Christian is a missionary. If we carefully read the book of Acts, we will see that when persecution arose in Jerusalem, all the Christians were scattered except the apostles. Those who were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the Gospel (Acts 8). That was the way the Christian...

Continue Reading The Importance of Cultural Awareness (pt. 1)...

In 1986, long before culture was a Christian buzzword (as it is today), Revell published R.C. Sproul's book Lifeviews: Make a Christian Impact on Culture and Society. In the book Dr. Sproul catalogs the major philosophies that compete with Christianity in our culture. He traces the origins of lifeviews such...

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The year 2008 witnessed the publication of a large number of Christian books. Deciding which to include in this list was no simple matter. I've included titles that I believe will have a lasting influence for one reason or another. I have not listed these publications in any particular order.Herman...

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Generation to Generation by C. FitzSimons Allison I wish I had been told when I was young about the lie all of us naturally believe. This lie is explained to us by Jesus when he said to the Jews who had believed on Him: "If you continue in my word,...

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Seek Ye First by R.C. Sproul Jr. To suggest that wisdom is always balanced seems to me to be a bit, well, unbalanced. Whoever first uttered the words of wisdom, "moderation in all things," should, I believe, have healed himself. All things? Isn't that a bit extreme? In like manner,...

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Marriage is under siege in our time, and Christian unions are not going unscathed. Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin believes that love letters written by Christian husbands and wives of the past can help strengthen the ties that bind believing spouses today. In this anthology, Haykin brings together letters from one or...

Continue Reading The Christian Lover: The Sweetness of Love and Marriage in the Letters of Believers...

We recently posted a series of images from The Prince's Poison Cup, the illustrated children's book by R.C. Sproul and Justin Gerard. Today we bring you the second and final group. Each is available in various sizes and is suitable for use as a desktop background for your computer. Enjoy!...

Continue Reading The Prince's Poison Cup Desktops (II)...

Joel Beeke: After reading Scripture, we must ask God for light to scrutinize our hearts and lives, then meditate upon the Word. Disciplined meditation on Scripture helps us focus on God. Meditation helps us view worship as a discipline. It involves our mind and understanding as well as our heart...

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The book of Daniel is set within the context of the sixth century exile. The events narrated in the first six chapters date from the year Nebuchadnezzar deported Daniel and his friends (605) to the third year of Cyrus (536). This spans the entire period of the Babylonian exile. The...

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Tolle Lege: Take Up and Read by Keith A. Mathison In the first centuries following the death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah and the inauguration of the new covenant under which the people of God became a trans-national people crossing all borders, the church had few choices in the...

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Our latest resource flyer gives a comprehensive overview of all titles available from Reformation Trust, the publishing division of Ligonier Ministries. Included is the new book from Michael Haykin, which celebrates Christian marriage by looking at the letters between several notable husbands and wives. You will also find recommended resources...

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Pro Ecclesia: For the Church by Simon J. Kistemaker As we saw in last month's installment of "Pro Ecclesia," privileges and duties go together. In making disciples, Jesus commanded they be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and to teach...

Continue Reading The Prevailing Church (pt. 2)...

Pastor's Perspective by Sinclair B. Ferguson When Sereno E. Dwight included the seventy resolutions in his biography of his great-grandfather Jonathan Edwards, he added the arresting comment: "These were all written before he was twenty years of age." Doubtless the resolutions display the marks of relative youth -- references to...

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The Prince's Poison Cup is a new, beautifully illustrated collaboration between R.C. Sproul and Justin Gerard. Through the exciting story of a brave prince, Dr. Sproul focuses on the atonement, showing that Jesus had to endure the curse of sin in order to rescue his people from spiritual death. And...

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Right Now Counts Forever by R.C. Sproul Some years ago, I drove along the Pennsylvania Turnpike about two o'clock in the morning with a friend after having spent all day at a steel corporation in eastern Pennsylvania dealing with labor management issues. My companion was a man who had lost...

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James Montgomery Boice:Many things are talked about as necessary for the health and growth of the church today. People talk about certain programs as essential. It is true that they are important. We have such a diversified culture that people have their own individual problems. The family is fragmented, and...

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As we move from the old year into the new one, we took a look back at some of the year's most popular blog posts. If you are new to the Ligonier blog, this is a good opportunity to catch up with some of what you may have missed. If...

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Coram Deo: Living Before the Face of God by Burk Parsons It's hard to believe that it was nearly a decade ago that we witnessed the turn of the third millennium. If you recall, on New Year's Day several network TV stations featured live coverage from around the world. It...

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The January edition of Tabletalk is out. This month's theme is "Resolved to Press on Toward the Goal." The issue looks at the importance of resolving in this new year to honor God in all we do and say. Contributors include R.C. Sproul, Burk Parsons, C. FitzSimons Allison, Sinclair Ferguson,...

Continue Reading Columns from Tabletalk Magazine, January 2009...